There’s a lot I love about living in a small town like the feeling of community, folks greeting you by name at the post office or down to the transfer station, everyone knowing your business. Well that last one, not so much.
We’ve lived on our street for almost forty years. Sure some folks have come and gone, but there’s still a core of us old timers. It’s not like we socialize a whole heck of a lot. Sure, we’ll show up at a Christmas open house and every once and awhile we have a cookout. Mostly, we’re what I’d call neighborly. We look out for each other in a blizzard, stop and shoot the breeze on a walk, and we generally help each other out because that’s what neighbors do.
Here’s a poem Charlie wrote about it.
Bein’ a Good Neighbor
My Toro Timemaster’s a mighty machine
But like any mower, there’s trouble it’s seen
First couple of times, the mowing went well
Third time, however, my luck went to hell
Drive cable snapped, right out of the gate
Part’s been back ordered, so we gotta wait
But grass doesn’t wait, and what with this rain
Daily another good inch it’ll gain
My Toro’s laid up, taking a napper
So my neighbor Gus, he lends me his Snapper
It’s only a 20” blade, whatever
Compared to my beast, it’s light as a feather
Gets in nice and close to them bushes of mine
And pushes like nothin’, up the incline
Down side, of course, is the time it’ll rob
‘Cause it takes a lot longer to do the same job
Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t complaining
This poem is simply my way of explaining
I’m grateful to Gus for helping me out
Ain’t that what bein’ a good neighbor’s about?
Soon as I’m done, I clean off his chassis
Top off the gas, and the fella is happy
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Being a Good Neighbor
Coming Up This Summer
July 12: Makin’ Whoopie, Deertrees Theatre, 7:30pm, Harrison, ME
July 18: Sip, Soak, Laugh, The SoakingPot, 5:00 & 7:00pm, North Conway, NH
July 25: Book Reading, North Gorham Library, 7:00pm, Gorham, ME
August 22: The Best of Ida, ACT ONE Summer Festival, 2:00 & 7:30pm, Portsmouth, NH
August 24: The Best of Ida, Celebration Barn Theatre, 7:30pm, South Paris, ME
August 29: The Best of Ida, ACT ONE Summer Festival, 2:00 & 7:30pm, Portsmouth, NH
Check out my full schedule here.
Join my mailing list. I’ll let you know when a new blog post goes up, where I’ll be performing next, and any other news that’s fit to print. Or you can like my Facebook page.